Motif Bio plc a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specialising in developing novel antibiotics announced that the Company has received the official minutes of the Type A meeting the Company held with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) on May 3, 2019, to discuss the points raised in the Complete Response Letter (CRL) related to the New Drug Application (NDA) for iclaprim, for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI). The minutes indicate that an additional clinical trial will be required prior to granting marketing approval to address the Agency’s continued concerns about potential liver toxicity. The Company has been encouraged by the FDA to put forth a proposal for a future study and to submit it for review. The Company plans to request a meeting with the Agency to discuss the design of the study, including the appropriate patient population to be evaluated.

Dr. Graham Lumsden, Chief Executive Officer, said: "We now have confirmation of what will be required for a path forward for iclaprim. We intend to meet with the Agency to agree on the specific requirements of the trial, which will enable us to estimate its size and scope and, therefore, the costs and funding requirements. In parallel, we expect to continue our discussions with potential commercial partners and will determine the best options for funding the trial once we have clarity from the FDA."

"We continue to believe that iclaprim has the potential to be an important new treatment option for hospitalised patients with ABSSSI and potentially also in patients with hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia, including ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia. In addition, we are exploring the use of iclaprim in other disease areas, including orphan indications such as Staphylococcus aureus lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis and in ophthalmology, as evidenced by recently announced collaborative agreements. Completing the steps necessary to provide the additional trial data to respond to the Complete Response Letter is our top priority. We are also continuing our business development activities to position Motif Bio for long-term growth by building a robust development pipeline. In parallel with our focus on iclaprim, we continue to pursue a variety of attractive opportunities in the anti-infectives space, as well as in other key therapeutic areas."

As of May 31, 2019, the Company had a cash balance of $2.3 million and $7.1 million of outstanding debt drawn from the Hercules Loan Facility. The Company believes the current cash position can support continued operations into September 2019 with diligent cash management. The Company will need to raise additional capital, which may be through equity financing and/or from non-dilutive sources. The Company is evaluating options to determine the funding strategy that will be most favourable for shareholders and will provide an update to the market in due course.

About Motif Bio

Motif Bio plc (AIM/NASDAQ: MTFB) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel antibiotics designed to be effective against serious and life-threatening infections caused by multi-drug resistant Gram-positive bacteria, including MRSA. The Company’s lead product candidate is iclaprim. Motif Bio is seeking approval of iclaprim from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI). More than 3.6 million patients with ABSSSI are hospitalised annually in the U.S. It is estimated that up to 26% of hospitalized ABSSSI patients have renal impairment.

The Company also has plans to develop iclaprim for hospital acquired bacterial pneumonia (HABP), including ventilator associated bacterial pneumonia (VABP), as there is a high unmet need for new therapies in this indication. A Phase 2 trial in patients with HABP has been successfully completed and a Phase 3 trial is being planned. Additionally, iclaprim has been granted orphan drug designation by the FDA for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis and is in pre-clinical development for this indication.

Iclaprim received Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) designation from the FDA together with Fast Track status for the ABSSSI indication. If approved for the ABSSSI indication as a New Chemical Entity, iclaprim will be eligible for 10 years of market exclusivity in the U.S. from the date of first approval, under the Generating Antibiotic Incentives Now Act (the GAIN Act). In Europe, 10 years of market exclusivity is anticipated. Motif is also building a patent estate to provide additional protection for iclaprim and has two U.S. method of use patents issued that will expire in 2037.

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